Mets worried about Floyd

Outfielder’s ailing left foot concern heading into NLCS opener

New York  Cliff Floyd's injured left foot will be the focus when the New York Mets work out today ahead of the NL championship series opener against St. Louis, and general manager Omar Minaya acknowledged it would be a risk to keep the outfielder on the roster.

Floyd reinjured his foot during Saturday's first-round clincher at Los Angeles when he ran hard to score from first on a double. While the Mets described the injury then as a strained left Achilles, Minaya said the team's medical staff treated Floyd's ankle on Monday.

Right after the injury, Floyd was unsure whether he'd be able to play in the NLCS, which opens Wednesday night at Shea Stadium.

"He's feeling better," Minaya said Monday during a telephone conference call. "We won't know about Cliff until he goes out there tomorrow in the workout and we get a feel for where's he at."

Floyd, bothered by the foot for much of the season, batted .444 (4-for-9) with a home run and two RBIs in the three games against the Dodgers. If Floyd is dropped, Endy Chavez appears to be the most likely replacement in the starting lineup, and Ricky Ledee or rookie Lastings Milledge would fill his roster spot. New York must finalize its 25 players for the second round by Wednesday morning.

With the Mets missing injured starting pitchers Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez, Tom Glavine is likely to pitch the opener - Minaya wouldn't confirm that, but the Mets said Glavine would be one of their players in the interview room today.

John Maine, acquired from Baltimore in the Kris Benson trade last January, started Game 1 against the Dodgers and Steve Trachsel Game 3. Oliver Perez, sent to the Mets by Pittsburgh on July 31 along with Roberto Hernandez for Xavier Nady, was in line to pitch a fourth game, which wasn't needed.

Dave Williams, who hasn't pitched in a game since Sept. 11, could be added to the roster. Minaya said Williams, who beat the Cardinals on Aug. 24, threw five or six innings in a simulated game in Florida.

Williams was acquired from Cincinnati in May.

"Did I expect these guys to be kind of possibly be key guys in the playoffs?" Minaya said. "That wasn't my hope. But they are. But one thing about them - they're not afraid to take the ball."

Perez, 3-13 during the regular season, would be only the second pitcher with a regular-season record 10 games under .500 to start a postseason game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, joining Albie Lopez, who was 9-19 in 2001 and started twice in the playoffs for Arizona.

Perez had a 1-2 record and 4.82 earned-run average in three starts against the Cardinals, while Williams was 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA, also making three starts.

"We have to take into account also how guys performed against the Cardinals during the regular season," Minaya said.